The Family Castle
by Leila Aldis
Summary: Based on the movie "The Family Stone" only with Kate and Castle and their five children. This first chapter is a better summary, chapter 2 will be the start of the story.
1. Explanation

**The Family Castle**

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First off, if you have not watched the movie 'The Family Stone' I would suggest it without a doubt. Fantastic Christmas movie showing family interaction beautifully. I was watching it earlier this week, in light of the Christmas holiday approaching and I thought I would make a sort of AU story of the Castle family, later in their lives (way later, considering they have six children, including Alexis). The plot line of the movie, is about the family getting together for Christmas. I'm doing the same thing, just with Castle and Kate's kids. Now for those who have not seen the movie, there is a deaf and gay son, he's the youngest son. I decided to keep the character deaf and gay in this fanfiction, because it is more fun that way.

Rick and Kate are married. Alexis is the eldest. Jackson is born 20 years after Alexis, a year later Alexander, the next year Elizabeth, two years after that Rick Jr., ending the family is Johanna.

Alexis is married Andrew Ryder and had Andrew Jr. and Sarah.

Jackson is dating Sophie Nelson, whose sister is Jennifer Nelson.

Alexander is the single man who lives in L.A., but comes home often.

Elizabeth is married to Mark White, they had Mary who is 2 and are expecting John.

Rick Jr., the deaf and gay youngest son is married to Samuel Reynolds and they are trying to adopt a child together, they live in Manhattan.

Johanna dated Nathan Parker, and is still quite the trouble maker.

All of these family members show up for Christmas at the Castle household. Kate and Castle decided when Elizabeth arrived they needed a much larger home. They moved just to the outskirts of the city, so Kate could still wake at a normal hour to be at the precinct on time, being captain she could start her day nine, even during cases, though sometimes, if the case hit home with her, Rick would drive out to the city and bring her dinner, knowing full well she and the boys wouldn't stop until the case was closed. The house itself was seven bedroom and six and half bath, separated from neighbors by settling into the back of the property, with lots of trees and tall bushes blocking the neighbors views. It is a large piece of property, a good 50 yards on each side of the house, putting a little distance between neighbors.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It's quiet without the kids there. It's truly quiet. She's alone in the large, empty house. Sitting looking up at the Christmas tree she and Castle bought last night, he had decorated most of the house yesterday, they used to do the tree as a family, all seven of them arguing about where to hang certain ornaments or how there was too much tinsel here and not enough there. There was always and empty plate and mugs from their cookies and milk. She missed it, slowly year after year her babies would move away to college or another state. Jo was the last to leave, two years ago, she moved into a small one room apartment in the city, closer to school. Kate had retired three years ago, being captain of the twelfth was great, she was finally able to put Senator Bracken behind bars, not even a week later and he was dead. She and Castle still helped the boys on some cases.

Castle is out buying food and supplies for the family Christmas. He still wrote, popping out a book or two a year, sometimes under a pseudonym, just so he didn't have to go out on long book tours. She's still lost in her own thoughts, toying with an old ornament, when the kitchen door opens.

"Dad! Kate!" She's expecting to hear her husband's voice, not her step-daughter, basically daughter. Alexis and her family are here. Kate leaps out of the chair and dashes for the door leading to the kitchen from the end of the hall.

"Alexis!" She's in the kitchen hugging the red head tightly to her. "You're father is out grabbing some food."

"Lex. There's some more bags in the car." Andrew, Alexis' husband enters, pushing open the side door with his shoulder, laden with luggage and bags of food and gifts for the rest of the family. "Oh, hey. Mrs. Castle."

"Andrew, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Kate?" Kate lets go of Alexis and hugs her son-in-law. "And where are my grand kids?"

"Gram!" Sarah and A.J shout, bursting through the door, as if on cue. Kate hugs both of them.

They group begins to unpack everything, Andrew dragging bag after bag upstairs. Alexis, Sarah, A.J, and Kate unpack the food and wrapped gifts. After about twenty minutes the kitchen door opens again.

"Mom!" It's the youngest son, Rick Jr.. The boy's deafness happened in his childhood, he was already speaking when his hearing started to fade, the family embraced his disability as willingly as any hearing family could. The entire family took sign language classes as R.J's hearing became less and less. The youngest son was almost completely deaf by the time he was ten years old.

Kate threw herself into the young man's arms, after he placed some bags on the kitchen counter. Sure it had only been a week since her son and his partner Sam had come over for dinner, but she hated an empty house. She had changed a lot after the family moved and continued to grow, she used to being alone for long periods of time, now it's unimaginable, she misses the noise of when the kids were all home, sure they were arguing over something long forgotten or teasing each other about a new boyfriend or girlfriend.

When she finally pulled away from her son, she signed "I love you."

He returned the gesture just as his partner entered the house, carrying a suitcase and two bags full of gifts.

"Hey Kate." He signed while speaking, using her name sign, a 'K' tapping over the left side of the chest.

"Where's Dad?" The man questioned with both voice and hand.

Signing and using speech for Sam's sake, as his back was turned to her at the moment. "Your dad has been out buying groceries for over an hour. So I have absolutely no idea where he disappeared to." She smiled as her son and son-in-law laughed.

Alexis ran into the room, hearing her younger brother's voice. "R.J!" She grabbed her half brother and hugged him to her tightly.

After a quick exchange of stories and greetings, everyone went into the living room to work a little on the tree, leaving Kate in the kitchen to clean up the mess of the bags and snowy, muddy footprints trailed in by each member of the house. The kitchen door opened for a third time, this time revealing Rick Sr. carrying handfuls of bags and a tray of brownies. Kate recognized those brownies, they were from the neighbor, Mrs. Green, they were her famous Christmas brownies, each family is given a tray each year.

"I saw some cars outside, Kate. Who would come visit an ex-cop and famous novelist?" He smiled as he bent down and kissed her softly. "Could it possibly be those kids we finally ran off?" He smiled against her lips.

"Dad!" Alexis called as she darted into the kitchen, nearly tackling the older man.

"Alexis!" He hugged her and kissed her cheek lightly. "Where's the rest of the bunch?" He asked the women.

"They were just putting some ornaments on the tree." Alexis explains as her half brother enters, signing something to Sam, Andrew, Sarah, and A.J watching from behind them.

"Dad!" He said, taking the rest of the large kitchen in two steps, reaching his father quickly.

Everyone hugged and greeted the author. Alexis had cocooned herself into her husband's side. Kate and Castle sat behind a small desk she had insisted be placed in the kitchen to hold all the crap that the counters normally held. Sam and R.J were standing by the door. Sarah had occupied the island in the kitchen by sitting atop it. Leaving A.J to sit on a stool, leaning his arm onto the bar where his sister was situated. The group was talking and laughing, awaiting the rest of the family. Unbeknownst to the group that the youngest daughter, Johanna Castle was struggling with bags and baskets outside.


	3. Chapter 2

**Castle = 72 | Kate = 64 | Alexis = 50 | Jackson = 30 | Alexander = 29 | Elizabeth = 28 | Rick Jr. = 26 | Johanna = 24**

**Andrew = 52 | Andrew Jr. = 22 | Sarah = 20 | Samuel = 26 | Sophie = 29 | Jacqueline = 27 | Mark = 31 | Mary = 2 | Nathan = 24**

**Ages for all of you guys. I would refer back to the first bit of this story "Explanation" if you get confused as to who is who.**

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Chapter 2

Jo pulled open the kitchen door, balancing her laundry basket on one knee, her fabric bag holding some of her textbooks from school. After greeting everyone she directed herself upstairs to her bedroom to deposit her stuff. Forgetting to take off her jacket while she was upstairs, she made it all the way back to the kitchen with it on. Hopping up to join Sarah on the island in the kitchen, pushing the girl who was four years younger than her over a little bit.

"I hate her." Jo said, while violently pulling off her coat, everyone knew that Jo was talking about Jackson's girlfriend, Sophie. They had been dating close to a year and Jack asked if he could bring to Christmas this year. Castle and Kate said yes, wanting to properly meet this girl that their eldest son was starting to become serious about.

"Jo." Castle said from behind her.

"I thought nobody had met her yet?" Alexis signed as she questioned her youngest sibling.

"No I met her in October when they invited me to dinner." Jo began to explain.

Castle, tried to distract her from ruining a good story of figuring out who this girl was/is. "What ever happened to that young man you were seeing?"

"Castle. No." Kate looked at him apologetically, making a short slicing motion across her throat, telling him silently not tread there.

"Opps. Sorry." He whispered as walked away. Jo jerking away from his hand as he patted her shoulder.

"So you were at dinner?" A.J brought up after a moment.

As Jo removed her boot with one hand she signed with the other. "Yeah. She's so fake. Drags me to this expensive, boring restaurant, where she talks the entire time. Not to mention she's uptight. Oh and you just wait, she has this terrible throat clearing." Clearing her throat she started tickling R.J's throat. He pulled his shoulders up and shyed away as Jo's finger followed, his face cringing as she did so. "What is she digging for? Clams?"

"Make way, enormous pregnant lady coming in."

"Elizabeth!" Castle called, moving to the door to the hall.

"Elizabeth, honey?" Kate called, rising from her seat behind the desk.

"Grandpa!" A small muffled voice of, for now the youngest member of the Castle family, or clan as Jo refers to them as, she is her father's daughter, though Kate and Castle knew that their youngest daughter was completely and totally Kate, called.

"Mary! You're getting so big!" Castle grunted as he picked his grand-daughter. She is big for her age, but when you have the Castle and Beckett gene, you are bound to be a little taller.

Kate hugged her very pregnant daughter, before situating herself back down in her seat, behind the cluttered desk in the corner of the kitchen, reaching out for Castle to hand over their two year old grandchild, whom he was currently carrying over his shoulder like a sack. He gently removed the girl from her position and passed her to Kate, who showered her with kisses.

More greetings ensued, as Elizabeth began emptying the bags onto the crowded counter. Johanna, being the tease she is, looked at Alexis and used her hands to show a large invisible belly, whistling softly, before smiling and glancing back toward her older, pregnant sister.

"Haha." Elizabeth laughed sarcastically. "Jack not here yet?"

Castle, having free hands, brought Elizabeth up to speed. "Jo was just telling us about how Sophie is a... throat clearer." Jo taking the open cue and clearing her throat loudly.

Kate reached out an smacked her husband's arm, "Why do you encourage her?"

"Hey, we both know she got that from you." He rubbed his arm, mockingly at Kate, who narrowed her eyes.

"Didn't you two talk on the phone once?" Alexis asked.

"What did she sound like?" Jo looked over at her sister.

"Yeah. And a little curt."

"Did she do that throat clearing thing?" Jo asked, popping a piece of nut from the bowl into her mouth. Elizabeth, walking away at this point, turned.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She continued. "I have to pee. When is Alex getting here?"

R.J. who had disappeared into the other room, to put something away, a few minutes before, burst through the kitchen door. Signing and whispering, "They're here!" He motioned with his head toward the door. Jo looked toward her mother and cocked an eyebrow.

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**Sorry for the short chapter. Next one is going to be Sophie and Jack centered. Then back to the whole family.**


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The mall was crowded, but Sophie needed a gift for her sister, to give her when the couple got back from his New York, where they were staying with his family. Jack pointed to an orange scarf. The cashier, was beginning to take it out, when Sophie came up, next to him, phone still beside her ear, she had been on that call since they got in the car this morning to drive from Boston to New York, stopping at the mall to buy some last minute gifts.

"For Jen?" She asked, pulling the phone only centimeters from her ear. Jack nodded. Sophie turned to the cashier, "The red one please." Before trying to get back to her call, still standing next to Jack. Jack reached over and started pulling the phone from her ear. She followed it like a moth to light, finally far enough away from her, he pressed end. He knew what an important call sounded like, she would stay outside, this call could be picked up later. She took her phone and dropped it in her purse, as Jackson wrapped his arm around her. Smiling at the cashier.

As the lady behind the counter handed them the bags, Jack smiled and nodded. "Merry Christmas." He said coolly as he and Sophie exited the store.

The couple stopped for lunch at a little cafe just a short drive away from his parent's home. They shared small talk, he filled her in again on who everyone was and their history. She listened intently. Sophie never really was a people person, it's not like she dislikes people, she just never understood how to communicate clearly with them, she had become better, after being with Jackson for a month.

"You remember having dinner with Jo, right?" He asked, drawing her from her thoughts and memories.

"Yes of course."

"Well, you passed through the worst family member than. Don't take anything she says personally or to heart, she doesn't like people, but she loves to annoy them and get under her skin."

"Mmm hmm." Sophie hummed, pushing some lettuce with her fork around on her plate.

"Hey." He reached across and grabbed her hand. "Everyone's going to like you. You'll be fine."

Sophie smiled.

They hit the road, only a half hours drive from the house. Her phone had gone off again at the end of lunch, she answered and was on that call for over three quarters of the drive, she finally hung up about two miles from his childhood home. She was nervous, couldn't sit still, she checked her purse, looked in the mirror on the visor. She settled down, looking out the window at the white snow covering the lawns and trees. She cleared her throat softly. Jackson looked over at her, taking one hand off the steering wheel and placing it over her clasped hands.

"They're going to love you. There's no need to be nervous."

"I'm not." She lied.

A minute of silence passed before Jack announced, "We're here." He was pulling into a long driveway, smiling. She looked intently out the window, when she finally saw the house she inhaled. The house was large and white with deep red trim, a wrap around porch, and lights hung in a perfectly straight line along the base of the roof, as if they grew out of it.

"You ready?" He asked. She didn't answer, but continued to gaze out the window.

He leaned over the middle console and whispered, "Yeah, they're all watching, you know."

"They-" She couldn't form a complete sentence. He pointed to a window, almost covered by a bush and tree, but just a small gap, small enough for a couple of people to look out and not be seen from outside.

"Dad will be out in a minute to help us in." Jack stated, unbuckling his seat belt and exiting the car, moving around to the passenger side to open her door for her. She clambered out just in time to hear a deep voice calling Jack's name. When she gained her balance after a unnoticed stumble in the snow she dodged being caught in the middle of a hug with father and son.

She had read Richard Castle's books, she wouldn't call herself a fan, but those great American mysteries did have a home in her apartment. When Jack and his father pulled away, they both turned to look at her. She held out her hand for the famous author to shake, he glanced down at the outstretched limb then back to face of the woman it belonged to. Grabbing her around the shoulders and pulling her in for a hug.

X-X-X-X

The rest of the family watched from the window in the living room, closest to the front door. Whispering, despite knowing the fact that they couldn't be heard from outside. They watched the whole interaction, seeing Jackson point to the window, but knowing an untrained eye would be unable to see the family members hiding behind the glass. As Sophie dodged the first hug Johanna turned to her mother and signed.

"I told you. Didn't I tell you?"

Kate responded with her voice only. "Yes, you did." She covered her mouth with one hand to stifle a laugh when Sophie reached to shake her husband's hand, knowing full well, in any other circumstances the author would have taken it, but not with family or close to family people.

X-X-X-X

It had to be the most awkward hug in history. Her arms were sandwiched at her sides, not that she would hug a perfect stranger back anyway. Jackson was unloading their bags as Rick lifted her feet off the ground, he was a tall man, not that she was petite, but short enough to have to look up a good couple of inches. Her body being thin and slender, she was quite easy to lift, even for people smaller than her.

The older man finally released her and moved around the car to help his eldest son with the bags in the back. She continued to stand, rooted to the spot, trying to get herself ready to meet the rest of the bunch. She followed the two men into the house, with one throat clear before entering, her nerves getting the better of her.


End file.
